Dark Shadows: 214
Synopsis Victoria Winters comes to the Old House looking for David Collins. She calls out his name, but nobody answers. She continues calling out for him and scans the parlor. Suddenly, the double doors from the portcullis slam shut, startling her. She goes to them and begins tugging, but the doors won't open. From behind, Barnabas Collins slowly descends the staircase and greets her. He tells her that the door handle is tricky and takes a particular amount of finessing in order to open it. Vicki is amazed at how easily Barnabas turns the lock and opens the door - as if he had done it hundreds of times before. After settling Vicki's nerves, Barnabas regales her with stories of the Old House. He has a great reverence for the house, but he carries an ominous tone in his voice as he describes the family dynamic. Barnabas compares the Old House to the pyramids of Egypt, but Vicki counters with the notion that unlike the Old House, the pyramids were designed to be tombs. Barnabas reflects upon his own vampiric state and solemnly agrees. Back at the Great House, Roger Collins returns home from Boston. His niece Carolyn greets him and is elated to see that he is finally home. Roger jokes with her, calling her "Kitten", and noting that the only thing he brought back from his trip was a recipe for Indian pudding. Carolyn brings Roger up to date on current events. She mentions how her mother is increasingly bothered by the continued presence of Jason McGuire, but that Willie Loomis has finally left town. She punctuates all of this by informing her uncle that there is a new Collins in town - Barnabas Collins. Roger is intrigued, citing that he thought he knew all of the surviving family members, but has never heard of Barnabas Collins. He muses, "I wonder what he wants". Just then, Vicki and Barnabas enter through the front doors. She introduces him to Roger and Carolyn who are both delighted to meet him. Roger revisits his interest in learning more about the Collins family members living abroad, but Barnabas indicates that he is the last of the European branch of the family. He then makes a cryptic remark about how the family's "aliveness" interests him. Roger takes Barnabas into his study, leaving Vicki and Carolyn in the foyer. Vicki tells Carolyn about her conversation with Barnabas at the Old House and speaks of his keen ability to finagle the front door of the house whereas she could not. She is intrigued by how intimately he seems to know everything about the house, down to the last detail. In the study, Roger extends the official Collins family greeting by pouring Barnabas a glass of sherry. They talk about their mutual ancestor, Jeremiah Collins, who once owned part of a vineyard near Málaga in Spain. Roger then takes note of Barnabas' ring. He has seen it before and indicates that it is on the finger of the man in the portrait in the foyer - the first Barnabas Collins. He recalls how the ring has fascinated him ever since he was a small child. Barnabas tells him that the ring originally belonged to his ancestor's father, Joshua Collins, and it has since been handed down to him. Barnabas continues making small talk and tells Roger that he is looking to invest in a small shipyard in Collinsport. They conclude their talk, and their drinks, and Roger shows Barnabas to the door. After he leaves, Carolyn asks her uncle what he thought of him. Anyone who comes from old money is certainly the type of man to impress Roger Collins, especially if they share the same last name. Outside, wolves howl in the distance. Barnabas stands amidst the trees and look on at Collinwood. A wicked smile creeps across his face. Cast Notes & Trivia * This episode is included on volume 42 of the VHS Dark Shadows Collector's Series and disk 1 of volume 1 of the Dark Shadows DVD series collection. * Closing still: Portrait of Josette at the Old House. * Includes the closing voiceover, "Dark Shadows is a Dan Curtis production". * This episode establishes that vampires can consume liquids other than human blood without issue, though they likely gain little to no nourishment from doing so. * This is the first appearance of Roger Collins since episode 208. He appears next in episode 218. * Vicki apparently has trouble opening doors. Barnabas opened the seemingly locked door of the Old House with no problem. * Reference is made to several characters in this episode: David Collins, Sarah Johnson, Elizabeth Collins Stoddard; Jason McGuire; Willie Loomis, Joshua Collins and Jeremiah Collins. * Roger Collins makes several barbed remarks about Mrs. Johnson and her cooking. Though said in jest, it implies that he does not think very highly of her or her skills in the kitchen. * Carolyn Stoddard appeared last in episode 213. She appears next in episode 216. * Barnabas Collins and Victoria Winters both appeared last in episode 212. Barnabas appears next in 218 and Vicki appears next in 217. * Vicki was apparently so smitten with Barnabas that she completely forgets that she was looking for David. Even when she's back at Collinwood she makes no mention of resuming her search for him. Bloopers * Jonathan Frid stammers over a few of his lines in the beginning of the episode and he also has a few pregnant pauses. He has particular trouble in a later conversation where he is describing that he is the last of the English branch of the Collins family. Quotes : Barnabas Collins: The design and construction of this house represented a marriage of the elegance of Europe and the vigor and enterprise of a new world. The foundations were made from rocks left behind by glaciers, thousands of years ago. The beams and supports were cut from ancient local forests. The plaster walls were made from crushed clamshells and horsehair. Bricks were imported from Holland. That dusty chandelier, brought over from France, gleamed with hypnotic brilliance. That faded wallpaper was specially designed by a Belgian artist. The parquet floors were installed by an Italian craftsman. Cornices and moldings were the effort of a Spanish craftsman. It was a house to be envied by a prince. But in spite of all this, the total effort was an agony to man. Men were driven to their limits. What should have been an act... a labor of love – became a hateful thing. There were the crippled and the dead. Like the pyramids, one could ask... was it worth it? .... : Barnabas Collins: The beautiful exterior belied a hatred and distrust that lived beneath this roof. Nothing was ever real here. And the love and happiness that one would expect was never lived in the lives of those who lived here. .... : Barnabas Collins: This room saw much hatred. It saw families divide and devour each other. On these stairs, a father and son hurled words at each other – words that would lead to the death of the son! laughing The death? .... : Barnabas Collins: In a way – you can compare the pyramids to this house. Both were built to support an ego and perpetuate a memory, but both merely survived as architectural feats. : Victoria Winters: But there is one difference between this house and the pyramids of Egypt. The pyramids were designed to be tombs. : Barnabas Collins: You’re right. This house was never designed to be a tomb. .... : Carolyn Stoddard: And how was Boston? : Roger Collins: Oh, same old town. All New England chowder and Indian pudding. .... : Barnabas Collins: Joshua Collins took great pride in his jewelry. It was almost part of his personality. : Carolyn Stoddard: Well, Uncle Roger. You spent most of the time with him. What do you think of him? : Roger Collins: I think he's a marvelous man. And he's extremely wealthy. See also External Links * * "Episode 214" at TV.com * "Episode 214" at the Dark Shadows Wiki Production credits Produced by Robert Costello Directed by John Sedwick' 'Written by''' Malcolm Marmorstein Story created and developed by Art Wallace Producer Robert Costello Fashions courtesy of Ohrbach's Series created by Dan Curtis executive producer Dan Curtis Productions, inc. copyright © 1967 }}---- Category:1967 television episodes Category:Episodes with plot summaries